Supernatural/Anime Crossover: Where Did My Romantic Comedy Go?

"Drinking so late? That's not exactly a good habit for someone who practices swordsmanship, is it?"

And how did you, a minor, manage to buy alcohol?

When Toudou Shura saw Kujo Toru's gaze, he casually held up the plastic bag in front of him and explained:

"It's a habit I developed when I was learning kendo from my master as a child. I can't fall asleep without drinking something every night."

Kujo Toru's expression was somewhat strange.

What are the habits formed in childhood?

Did your master start encouraging you to drink when you were a child?

Is this a kendo master or a drunkard master?

There are too many flaws.

However, given that the two were not familiar with each other, at most they were both contestants in the Jade Dragon Flag competition, and their rooms just happened to be across from each other, he could not comment on such a personal matter.

So he simply nodded, intending to end the chance encounter there:

"Well, Yi Lingqi is Wu Jiusi. Since that's the case, then I wish you a good night's sleep and don't miss tomorrow's final."

After saying that, he pushed open the door and went inside.

Just as the door was about to close, Dongtang Xiuluo's voice came through the crack:

"Wait, speaking of the finals, I have a request."

Ok?

Kujo Toru was a little surprised and reopened the door.

Shura Toudou stood solemnly at the door, his back ramrod straight, his face serious as he intently looked at Toru Kujo.

"In the finals, if I face you, I hope it will be a real battle!"

His brows furrowed.

He carefully examined the young man in front of him.

His medium-length black hair was tied into a wolf tail and placed behind his head. Compared to the muscular physiques of other kendo players, which made people suspect that they were delinquents, Toudou Shura's physique was actually quite thin.

He does indeed bear some resemblance to Okita Souji, the young swordsmanship genius of the late Edo period.

No wonder it's nicknamed "Heavenly Sword".

However, compared to her delicate appearance, the request she made was quite brutal.

For a kendo practitioner of this level, let alone a real sword, even a wooden sword can leave them bloodied and battered.

At least for Yoshino Asagi, killing someone with a wooden sword wouldn't be a difficult task.

Even with the bamboo sword, which has the least lethality, it is common to see people being hit and suffering bone fractures even through protective gear in kendo competitions.

Therefore, there was always an emergency medical team on standby at the Yulongqi site.

In a real sword fight, top-level kendo athletes would discard protective gear and be free from the restrictions of the competition rules, allowing them to unleash techniques such as iaido...

A battle for survival.

"why?"

Kujo Toru did not directly agree or refuse, but instead inquired about the reasons.

Surely the other party isn't actually a pawn of that important person, trying to assassinate me by using real swords to win the competition?

Given the meager spiritual power emanating from Toudou Shura, which was so faint that even ordinary people couldn't fully perceive it, let's first focus on using all our strength against Takefuyo.

"Because I can feel it."

Dongtang Xiuluo pointed to himself, his eyes clear and pure, without the slightest impurity:

“I trained in swordsmanship according to the requirements of killing techniques, and so do you.”

"So?" Kujo Toru leaned against the doorframe and asked in return.

"So I want to fight you fair and square, without any constraints."

Without much thought, Dongtang Xiuluo directly stated his innermost thoughts:

"It would be such a waste to fight an opponent like you only according to modern kendo rules!"

Moreover, there seem to be some familiar elements in your kendo.

However, Dongtang Xiuluo did not say this aloud.

After all, these were things he had vaguely sensed from Kujo Toru's matches, but due to the limitations of modern kendo rules, he couldn't be truly certain.

Therefore, he plans to use a real sword duel to confirm it properly.

only……

"I refuse."

Kujo Toru instantly lost interest and refused outright.

This reason sounds like someone who has gone astray in their kendo practice and started fantasizing about duels between samurai from the Warring States period in sword-fighting films.

He had absolutely no intention of cooperating with this behavior, which resembled that of a teenager with delusions of grandeur.

Moreover, even if he were confident that he would not suffer any casualties in the final sword fight, such behavior would still be a clear violation of the rules of the Jade Dragon Flag.

The competition results will be disqualified.

He was only able to come to Fukuoka openly because he was riding on the coattails of Sobu High School's kendo club; he couldn't possibly ruin the kendo club's results, could he?

Although Yu Longqi's performance in the competition was indeed achieved by him alone.

"I……"

Shura Toudou was getting anxious and wanted to say something more, but Toru Kujo had already closed the door, giving him no chance at all.

He let out a deep breath and took one last, deep look at the tightly closed door.

Dongtang Xiuluo turned and walked outside, carrying a plastic bag full of empty beer cans.

He turned on the room light and placed his backpack directly on the sofa. His divine sword and the Ama no Kusanagi clanged against each other, accompanied by the sound of bells.

Instead of rushing to take the contents out, Kujo Toru first went to the bathroom to take a shower.

Although I didn't actually sweat during my hike tonight, the humidity in Fukuoka is quite high, and after taking a shower, I felt much refreshed.

Sitting on the sofa, I first opened the system panel.

The first thing that catches the eye is the spiritual power level, which has quietly reached level 21.

Every ten levels is a significant hurdle, and the demand for experience points increases dramatically.

Furthermore, Yato-gami was only at the level of a great yokai, far inferior to the fallen yokai, Ebi-bang. Therefore, after being defeated, he did not level up several times like Ama-kuma-kumo, but only barely leveled up one and a half times.

Even so, it's enough to cross the level 20 hurdle and obtain a second talent awakening.

[Because your spiritual power level has increased to LV20, you have gained one chance for a random talent awakening.]

Should it be used immediately?

Looking at the messages on the system panel, Kujo Tetsu quickly made his decision.

Yes.

He no longer tried to use methods such as bathing, burning incense, or sincere prayer, because he had completely realized the truth.

As long as the system involves anything random or lottery-like, you can just lie back and wait for the results.

Uselessness and weirdness are the norm.

At level 10, you can draw a Guardian Spirit through talent awakening, and it's the Golden Crow and the Moon Rabbit, two Guardian Spirits that occupy a special position in Onmyodo. It's hard to say whether the former Master and Swordsman exerted their power from the heavens.

We can't expect the level 20 talent awakening to be something of the same weight, as long as it's not like those humorous specializations you get when leveling up Divine Arts and Sword Arts.

It seems useless, and in reality, it's not very useful.

But to say they are completely useless would be too unfair to them.

[In the process of extraction.]

You have acquired the talent (Clear Mirror and Still Water).

[A clear mirror and still water: The mind is like a clear mirror; it reflects things when they come and remains empty when they go.]

The detailed explanation is only a very simple sentence, but it maintains the system's consistent style of saying nothing at all.

There were no unusual phenomena or anything else, but Kujo Toru seemed to sense something and unconsciously closed his eyes.

Is that how it is?

After a moment, he opened his eyes again and immediately understood the so-called "clear mirror and still water".

He pondered for a moment.

This talent has many uses in various aspects, and in his view, its importance is no less than that of the guardian spirit.

Its most important and core function, if one had to describe it, would be to dispel illusions and reveal the truth.

Instead of observing all things with the six senses, one reflects the universe with one's own mind, and thus can accomplish all sorts of incredible things.

For example... to glimpse the future trajectory of others in a very small way.

Although the consumption of spiritual energy is also very high.

Thinking about it carefully, it seems like I've been rushing headlong down the path to becoming a firework.

Whether it's a guardian spirit, a grand spell like Mirror Flower Water Moon, or even the current Kusanagi and Mirror Still Water, if you really let them run wild, the time they spend in their formation might not even be as long as the time it takes for fireworks to bloom.

Can't we have something that lasts a long time and is reliable?!

Their gaze fell upon the available skill points.

When I returned from the training world, I already had 9 free skill points. Now, with the 2 points I got from raising my spirit power level from 19 to 21, I have 11 points.

[Specialized Skill]: Purification Yin-Yang Technique (Intermediate 0/10) - Ritual Specialization (Cannot be upgraded)

Looking at the words in the skill bar, Kujo Toru couldn't help but have wicked thoughts.

My original plan to save up 30 points to upgrade my advanced swordsmanship to the next level has been disrupted.

I already have enough skills that burn spiritual energy, so maybe... I should try drawing one?

My mind was caught in a battle between heaven and man.

When he came to his senses, he found that his hand had already formed its own ideas and made a decision for the House of Lords.

[Should I spend 10 skill points to upgrade to an advanced specialization skill?]

Yes.

[Specialized skill upgraded, remaining skill points: 1]

[Specialized Skill]: Purification Divine Arts (Advanced 0/30) - Specialization: Ritual, Word of Power (Cannot be upgraded)

[Word Power: All things have a spirit, and so do words and language. As a tool for communicating with heaven and earth and the gods, word power is the original form of Yin-Yang magic.]

This time, it seems, perhaps, maybe, or probably, I really did withdraw the money.

The dog system has actually changed its nature?

The rituals and techniques of Yin-Yang Taoism, or the Tao of Gods, are vast and numerous. Throughout history, countless geniuses have continuously innovated and developed them.

Talismans, barriers, shikigami, seals...

However, only two are of paramount importance and can be called the cornerstones of Shinto.

One is ritual, and the other is the power of words.

Amaterasu Omikami hid in the Ama-Iwato (Heavenly Rock Cave), while Ama-Utsu no Mikoto (Heavenly Jade Maiden) danced outside the rock, which aroused Amaterasu Omikami's curiosity and caused her to peek out, thus being dragged out by the other gods.

Although it might seem like a case of a socially awkward, introverted woman being tricked into joining a trap, this myth is generally considered in Shintoism to be the origin of Kagura dance and also the earliest ritual.

However, the power of words has no origin.

Or rather, the power of words appeared the moment the gods were born and named all things, and it permeated the entire divine way.

From the Nine Syllable Mantra and various talismans in Yin-Yang arts to witchcraft dolls and protective seals, all of them rely on the power of words.

Even the way Onmyoji control shikigami is because they control the shikigami's true name and sign a contract with it.

Ultimately, it is also an application of the power of words.